Research

Under Section 31Q of the Planning and Development Act, as amended, the OPR has a statutory remit to conduct research. In 2019 the OPR established the National Planning Knowledge Group (NPKG) comprising representatives from planning authorities, higher education institutes, NGOs, planning institutes, government organisations and departments.

The OPR also undertook extensive consultation with key stakeholders including local authority staff and elected members. Input from the NPKG and feedback from our key stakeholders formed the basis for the OPR’s Planning Research Framework and associated Strategic Planning Research Programme. 

The key goal of the framework is to ” to develop an effective research programme that addresses the gaps in planning theory and practice, supports best practice in the planning system, facilitates greater public understanding and participation, and develops necessary tools and applications for practitioners and researchers”.

The Strategic Planning Research Programme sets out the projects that will be delivered over a two-year timeline. These projects are structured under three key themes i.e. Planning Issues, Planning Performance and Planning Practice. The output delivered under each theme is contained in the tiles included hereunder: